Hydraulic turbo couplings



April 21, 1959 H si R 2,882,683

HYDRAULIC TURBO COUPLINGS Filed Sept. 15, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 iii!%%RNEY Filed Sept. 15, 1955 April 21, 1959 H. SINCLAIR 2,882,683

HYDRAULIC TURBO COUPLINGS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY April 21,1959 H. SINCLAIR HYDRAULIC TURBO COUPLINGS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 'Filed Sept.15, 1955 INVENTOR Harv/d JY/M/a/W g a?" E 4 ATTORNEY H. SINCLAIRHYDRAULIC TURBO COUPLINGS April 21, 1959 4 SheetsSheet 4 Filed Sept. 15,1955 INVENTOR Ham/d J/flfi/d/l ATTO Y 2,882,683 HYDRAULIC TURBOcotmlmc's Harold Sinclair, Windsor, England Application September 15,'195s,seiia1 No. 534,563

Claims priorgi'ioepep hzcgt ggsgireat Britain 6 Clai1'ns. ((31. 60 54Ihis invention T relates to hydrauli'c turbo couplings bf the type thathave varied impeller and runner elements and are provided withan'adju'stable scoop tubefor'varythe degree of fillingof the workingcircuit with working liquid and so varying the torque transmittingcapacity hr the coupling. V

Normally the adjustment of the scoop tube to the re qiiired position iseffected manually.

In the case of large couplings intended -for the transmission of hightorque, as ior example in geared diesel engine driven marine propulsionmachinery, adjustment of the scoop tube requires considerable exertionon'the part of the operator, and it is an'objec't of the invention toprovide a power operated means for effecting the requi'redadjustment. v

In accordance with the invention a fluid-pressure operated servomechanism is provided for adjusting "the position of the "scoop tube,sa'id servo mechanism including a servo motor and a controllabledistributing valve and making use of fluidjpr'essure derived fromengagement of the scoop tube with working liquid.

in a preferred form of the invention the fluidpr essure for operatingthe servo motor is derived from a duct by which working liquid flowsfrom the 's'cooptube, and a valve is provided which operatesautomatically -to -restrict the fiow in said duct and increase thepressure therein, in response to said distributing valve being op-"era'tedto retract the-scoop tube.

In order that the invention may be 'clearlyunderstood and readilycarried into effect it will now be described "in more detail withreference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 "is anend'view, partly in section, of a hydraulic turbo coupling embodying theinvention, Fig. 2 shows the servo motor and distributing 'valve'on alarger scale, Fig. 3 -is apart-sectional elevation of 'par't of theturbo coupling shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 -'is a view in cross-sectionof the coupling, taken on a hori- '2'ontal plane through the axis ofrotation of the coupling.

The hydraulic turbo coupling illustrated is of the type that is providedwith a sliding'scoop tube servingt'o'tr'ansfor working liquid from areservoir chamber 26 rotatable with a vaned element of thecoupling tothe working'chamber of the coupling, the working chamber being provided'with restricted leak-off nozzles through which in the operation of thecoupling working liquid flows out of the working chamber and into thereservoir chamber. Couplings of this type are described for example inUnited States Patents Nos. 2,187,667 and 2,264,341.

'Referring to Fig. 4 of the drawings, the coupling co'rnprises a casing36 to which the prime mover may be connected, casing 36 constituting aworking chamber and enclosing a vaned impeller 34 and a vaned runner'35, the runner 35 being fixed on an output shaft 32 journalled in thecasing 36 and in the hub of the impeller 34, which is rotatable withcasing 3 6. The'casing 36 is provided with leak-off nozzles, one ofwhich is shown at 33, via which, in the operation of the couplings,worka fis Patent 1 r 2,882,683 Patented Apr.

ice

ing iiquid leaks from the casing 36th a {r serv eir chainber 26 which isrotatable with the casing 36 endinipeller 34. The liquid in "thefreservoii-"chamber 26 "forms a. rotat in'g ring into which the scooporifice of i the "scoop "tube "2 extends, so that working liquid iseontinuously picked up by the scoop tube 2 and transferred via anfdntlet duct 31 "to duct 1*, cooler 5, ipe 6150 return one: -7. I

The working liquid in diict 7 passesjinto *a duct '27 and thencethreiigh a it '28 and-am 29 to the a nu- Ia-r space 30, whence it isshown at 31', 'ba"ck*info "the workingeircuit V v show'n Fig. 1 duct1"c'onneets the outletofthe scoop "tube 2 to p a 6, andthe "duct 7connects the pipe 6 to the liquid inlet port leading to "the we'rlt'ingtilet'fted to *a "cooler f5, tlirei'ig h'iivhieh bil circilla'tioh akesaded valve 18 'being provided to restrict the how froinduet 1 "to pipeis during {normal operation of the coupling and thereby to ensure *th'at"the mam ci'rculation takes place through the cooler. 1

Under conditions when the scoop tube is engaged quickly so as to effectrapid 'filling' of the working circuit "the Fist: of "p'ressure'-in duct1 causes the valve 18 to open automatically and thus to fpeiinit ofincreased flow of liquid into the filling duct 7 through pipe 6'inaddition tothe path'pr'ovided by cooler '5. A

The scoop tube 2*is provided "with a when lever 8 "that is pivotallymounted-at 9 on a stationary p rt "of the coupling and is --01ieranve1yconnected with a slotted lever 10 that bo-operates with a pin 1 1 toactuate the scoop tube 2. The lever s is houpled'to the piston {1'2 inan oil servo cylinder 13. A pipe 14 branched from'th'e above-mentionedduct 1 leads to a distributingva'lve 15 provided with a control spindle16 connected "to acontr'ol lever 24. By '-'suitably setting the controlspindle 1 6, the distributing "valve 15 can be 'set selectively to15111: the branch pipe 14 in eortitilunicatidn with one "side fuel"control lever 6f an engine with "which "the coupling is associated.

The scoop "tube 2 is arranged with its 1bngi'tuiiimil axis substantiallyvertical and with itsscoopor'iiice-downwards '(a's shown), so "that 'theweight of the scoop tube 2 bia es it to its lo'wenhost position, ie. 'inihe "direction tor ihse'rtion --of the "scoop orifice into the workingliquid, which when the eoiipling is operatin form's iiit o a ring whichrotates with "the reservoir cha'iiibe'r According to the setting of thespindle 16 of the distributing valve 15, the pressure of t'he work ingliquid "in the piped leading 'fr'omthe scoop tubeohtlet can be appliedvia the pipe 14 to one side 'of the piston 12 to retract "the scoop tube2 from the ring of working liquid or to the other side or the piston '12to assist the scoo tube in moving under t-he action of gravit into th'e'rii1g of working liquid.

The valve 18 loaded by a spring 37 is provided with a piston 19 which,when the distributing valve 1'5 is operated to withdraw "the "scoop tube2, 53 admittingeil -to the cylinder 13 at the right-hand side' of piston12 is subjected to liquidipr'essurevia a pipe 20 so that "the loading ofthe "valve 18 {is increased and the valve 18 restricts or stops thedischarge of oil from theduct 1, thereby providing increased pressure,in "the pipe '14, for operating ':the servo l'hbtdl' to retract the"scoop "tube.

In "-the converse 'di'rection of 'rnovementof the sea-6p tube, -ViZ.:"wh'en the scoop 'tube is inserted, 'thepressu're in the duct 14 willincrease due to the deeper engagepa'sses via ducts, one "of which lever.

7 3 ment of the scoop tip with the said ring of liquid, and to avoid anunduly fast rate of such scoop movement the port 25 (shown in dottedlines) for admitting liquid to the left hand side of the piston 12 maybe suitably restricted in size.

The distributing valve 15 is connected to lever 8 by a link 21 wherebyto provide follow-up gear such that any desired setting of the scooptube 2, with a corresponding filling of the working circuit, can beobtained by an appropriate setting of the distributing valve controlManual scoop actuating gear such as an extension 23 of the lever 8 maybe provided as a means of setting the scoop tube position when thecoupling is not in operation and hence liquid under pressure from thescoop system is not available to operate the servo motor. With thearrangement described there is no source of liquid under pressure tooperate the servo motor and scoop tube when the turbo couplingvisstationary, but immediately the driving engine is started the liquidpressure created in the scoop tube (which will be in the fully engagedposition) will be available to adjust the setting of the scoop tube inaccordance with the position of the control spindle 16.

Fig. 1 shows a single ended scoop tube suitable for use with aunidirectional engine, e.g. driving through a reverse reduction gear. Inthe case where the engine is of the direct reversing type, a scoop tubehaving oppositely directed scoop orifices would be provided as is normalpractice with reversing engines. When the engine is momentarily stoppedin the course of reversal the scoop tube will, if it is in a retractedposition, momentarily move downwards, and then be returned to the setposition when the engine is restarted and liquid pressure is againcreated within the scoop tube to actuate the servo motor.

I claim:

l. A hydraulic turbo coupling comprising vaned impeller and runnerelements within a working chamber, a scoop chamber communicating withsaid working chamber and containing a rotating ring of working liquidwhen the coupling is in operation, an adjustable scoop tube in saidscoop chamber for varying the degree of filling of said working chamberby removing liquid from said ring, a duct which communicates with liquidcirculating through said turbo coupling when it is in operation, a servomotor operated by liquid pressure derived from said duct for adjustingthe scoop tube and a distributing valve operable independently of theimpeller speed to control the feeding to said servo motor of the liquidpressure in said duct.

2. A hydraulic turbo coupling comprising vaned impeller and runnerelements and easing forming a working chamber, a reservoir rotatablewith one of said elements and in restricted communication with saidworking chamber, an adjustable scoop tube with a scoop orifice disposedin said reservoir, a duct connecting said scoop tube to said workingchamber, power means for adjusting said scoop tube, said power meanscompris ing a servo motor coupled to said scoop tube and operated byliquid pressure derived from said duct, and a distributing valvecommunicating with said duct and operable independently of the impellerspeed to control the feeding to said servo motor of the liquid pressurein said duct. Y

3. A hydraulic turbo coupling comprising vaned impeller and runnerelements within a working chamber, a scoop chamber communicating withsaid working chamber and containing a rotating ring of working liquidwhen the, coupling is in operation, an adjustable scoop tube in saidscoop chamber for varying the degree of filling of said working chamberby removing liquid from said ring, a duct which communicates with saidscoop tube and through which liquid removed from said ring flows awayfrom said scoop tube, a servo motor operated 'by liquid pressure derivedfrom said duct for adjusting the scoop tube, a distributing valveoperable to control the feeding to said servo motor of the liquidpressure in said duct, a flow control valve in said duct for controllingthe flow of liquid through said duct, a spring that biases said valve toa position to restrict the flow through said valve, a piston coupled tosaid flow control valve, and means for applying to said piston, inamplification of the force of said spring, the liquid pressure employedin said servo motor for adjusting said scoop tube in the direction todecrease the degree of filling of the working chamber of the coupling.

4. A hydraulic turbo coupling comprising vaned impeller and runnerelements within a working chamber, a scoop chamber communicating withsaid working chamber and containing a rotating ring of working liquidwhen the coupling is in operation, an adjustable scoop tube in saidscoop chamber for varying the degree of filling of said working chamberby removing liquid from said ring, a first duct which communicates withsaid scoop tube and through which liquid removed from said ring flowsaway from said scoop tube, a servo motor for adjusting said scoop tube,said servo motor being operated by liquid pressure derived from saidduct, the coupling including a distributing valve operable to controlthe feeding to said servo motor of the liquid pressure in said firstduct, a second duct providing communication between said first duct andsaid distributing valve, and flow-restricting means situated in saidfirst duct downstream of said second duct to create in said second ductat least sufiicient pressure to operate said servo motor.

5. A hydraulic turbo coupling according to claim 4, wherein saidflow-restricting means are constituted by a valve and a spring biasingsaid valve to a position to decrease the fiow in said first duct andincrease the pressure in said second duct, a piston coupled to saidvalve, and means for applying to said piston in amplification of theforce of said spring the liquid pressure employed in said servo motorfor adjusting said scoop in the direction to decrease the degree offilling of the working chamber of the coupling.

6. A hydraulic turbo coupling comprising vaned impeller and runnerelements within a working chamber, a scoop chamber communicating withsaid working chamber and containing a rotating ring of working liquidwhen the coupling is in operation, an adjustable scoop tube in saidscoop chamber for varying the degree of filling of said working chamberby removing liquid from said ring, said scoop tube being biased in thedirection of increasing the filling of said working chamber, a firstduct which communicates with said scoop tube'and through which liquidremoved from said ring flows away from said scoop tube, a servo motoroperated by liquid pressure derived from said first duct for adjustingsaid scoop tube, a distributing valve operable to control the feeding tosaid servo motor of the liquid pressure in said first duct, a secondduct interconnecting said first duct and said distributing valve, andflow-restricting means disposed in said first duct downstream withrespect to said second duct for creating in said second duct at leastsuflicient pressure to operate the servo motor in the direction formoving the scoop tube in the direction to decrease the degree of fillingof said working chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,187,667 Sinclair et al. Jan. 16, 1940 2,264,341 Sinclair et al. Dec.2, 1941 2,299,049 Ziebolz Oct. 13, 1942 2,563,823 Kerfoot Aug. 14, 1951FOREIGN PATENTS 1,093,556 France Nov. 24, 1954

